I have permission to distribute the message below; it was originally written to a ferret shelter NC, but the shelter is full and doesn't have time to properly work with this behavior issue. If anyone has the time, patience, and experience to adopt and provide a forever home for this ferret, please contact Jaimi (Jaimi is the owner). This ferret is a retired Marshall Farms breeder and has a biting problem. She is currently in Durham, NC, but maybe we can arrange some kind of transport if the right home is out there. Best wishes, -Pam S. From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Question, we need help My name is Jaimi D Sawyer and I would like to tell you about our ferret, Zoe. We received her from a veterinary student who was graduating and moving away. The student had two ferrets Boots a male, and Zoe a female (both were sterilized before they met). Boots came from a pet store and is overall very sweet. Zoe on the other hand has had a rough life. She was a breeder at Marshall Farms and when her usefulness was up was given to the Vet school in Raleigh. After spaying her for practice the college was going to euthanise her. The vet student saved her and took her home. The vet student kept her shots up to date either at the Vet school (at NC State) or at a local Vet in Raleigh that she worked for. Unfortunately I was unable to get this information before she moved out of state. We have not chosen a Vet in Durham yet for this year's shots since we had until Nov and the ferrets are healthy. We were told Zoe was a little nippy, occasionally biting. Since we have brought both ferrets home, Zoe bites anyone. I read on your website that you recently were able to help other breeding ferrets overcome their harsh past. Zoe is litter trained and healthy. The only problem is the biting. When she bites she draws blood, and I have several scars to prove she can be fierce. Several things concern me about Zoe, one is Boots. Although Boots is sweet, he is male and is somewhat aggressive with Zoe. I think the breeding background makes this male/female pair a bad combination. I think the only way Zoe will be able to learn to lessen or even curb her biting is to be away from Boots. They were together a mere 2 months before we got them, so all together they have been friends since approx Sept of 2003. Second is the fact that I have children and I am afraid of her biting them. She only comes out when they are in bed and even then I am afraid of her. My husband does handle her with gloves, but her biting has only gotten worse since we got her in late nov. I am looking for someone who can take her from us, someone who has experience with her kind of issues, someone who can help her and then find her a good home. I admit that when taking her I thought we could make a difference in her life, but I see now that I was wrong. I lack the know-how to help her, but I do know that she has the potential to be a loving ferret. Would you be willing to take her?? We plan on keeping Boots, he loves the children and they love him. I truly hope that you can help us. I know with you she will be in great hands and I truly believe she can learn to live happily. We love both ferrets deeply and it hurts to have to let her go. But I think it will be in her best interest to get some distance from Boots. I do not know how she was treated at Marshall Farms, but by her behavior it could not have been a good life. My whole family is heartbroken, but we can no longer bear to see her cooped up, afraid to take her outside to the park, even afraid to take her out of the cage. We have tried everything we can think of, and this is our last hope. Thank You--contact me anytime Jaimi D Sawyer 919-403-6785 home 919-697-6626 cell (if no one is home) (note from Pam - I have already mentioned concerns about splitting up the pair and a concern that Boots might have adrenal disease to Jaimi.) [Posted in FML issue 4464]